Former Congress MPs may contest Delhi Assembly polls

New Delhi: Former Congress MPs from Delhi could be asked to contest assembly elections as the party seeks to put up the best available candidates for the polls after losing ground in several recent state elections.

An indication to this effect was given by senior party leader P C Chacko today, who is in charge of party affairs in Delhi.

Former MPs have not applied for tickets but the Central Election Committee of the party which is meeting on Monday could take a call on the issue, he told reporters. "The party wants to put up best candidates."

If the party decides so, it will mean that AICC General Secretary Ajay Maken, former Union ministers Kapil Sibal and Krishna Tirath, Sandeep Dikshit and Jai Prakash Agarwal could be among those making a bid for Delhi Assembly in polls likely to be held in February.

All seven Congress candidates lost heavily in Lok Sabha polls and the party finished third in all the seats.

Chacko also played down reports that DPCC Chief Arvinder Singh Lovely may not contest, noting that his name has already been announced as a party candidate. "There will be a second list but no second though," he said.

Congress however said that it would not project any chief ministerial candidate.

In a rebut to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's comment that Congress may support AAP again, he said the party is not going to play a second fiddle.

"We are going to play a crucial role and our strength would be considerable," he said about post-poll prospects.

Congress was elected to eight seats in the 70-member Assembly in the last Delhi polls.